109: How To Find, Get… and Keep Featured Snippets with Izzi Smith

Yes, we chatted a LOT about featured snippets – and get pretty detailed with the tactics. Izzi has a lot of experience optimizing for all kinds of snippets and SERP features in her work with Sixt. She even breaks down exactly how Sixt got two snippets for high volume and highly lucrative searches.

BUT, we also talk further about things like:

How Izzi learned SEO

Does structured data impact rankings?

How to find… and “steal” competitor’s snippets

Should we be concerned that Google is “stealing” our content?

How to get mobile image thumbnails in search results

How Izzi got into speaking… and how she calms speaking nerves

How Izzi measures user satisfaction with content

Do SEO’s love DuckDuckGo?

This episode is not to be missed! Listen now!

Show Agenda and Timestamps

Episode Introduction and topic overview [0:22]

Izzi’s Introduction [1:13]

Izzi’s Background [1:36]

How did Izzi first learn SEO? [3:22]

What is Sixt? [6:01]

How is the SEO/Marketing departments structured within Sixt? [6:59]

How do they ensure communication happens between departments? [9:14]

What is Izzi’s SEO focus at her role at Sixt? [10:48]

Featured Snippets [11:56]

Why are featured snippets important [12:00]

How do you find opportunities for a business to get a featured snippet [14:02]

Is it still worth doing the GA report? [16:43]

How do you steal competitors snippets? [17:29]

Is there a way to know if a search might warrant a snippet but doesn’t yet have one? [18:37]

Featured Snippets that Sixt has [20:01]

Izzi chats about how Sixt went about getting some of their snippets [20:49]

Does the exact H Tag matter or is it structure that matters? [24:22]

It is a myth that content has to be long [25:44]

Is Izzi measuring or trying to account for voice search? [27:21]

Twitter Questions [28:25]

Tom Brodbeck- Can you trigger a new featured snippet on a SERP that doesn’t have one? It seems people target SERPs that already have featured snippets but can you target a SERP that has no featured snippet, and create content that triggers one? If so, does a certain content format work better? [28:27]

Tony Kelly – Is there any correlation between featured snippet performance and performance of keywords with a more commercial intent that will drive business performance? I.e. If a brand has good featured snippet coverage, are they likely to rank well for higher intent keywords as well? [30:33]

Darren Cronian – I have a FAQ section on my website that I’m creating content for and wondered if featured snippets could be implemented and what are the benefits? Oh, and [how] do you implement it. [31:37]

What is a rich snippet? [33:46]

Question from Dan – How can you maintain a feature snippet once you’ve earned it? [35:14]

What user metrics does Izzi use to make sure users like the content? [37:07]

Quick Hit Questions: SERP Features [39:38]

Ask Boxes – Does Izzi do anything to proactively get into the Ask Boxes? [39:44]

Mobile thumbnail images in the result- how to get them, how they happen? [40:54]

How do you optimize to get the image in the featured snippet? [42:35]

Twitter Question- Sam Barnes – How significant is structured data as a ranking factor now and how do you think that will shift in the future? [44:18]

Has Izzi tried the newish how-to schema announced by Google IO? [45:55]

Twitter Questions- Miscellaneous Questions [47:03]

Greta – More on the hypothetical side: would you say that some search engines will eventually surpass Google because of privacy concerns (ie DuckDuckGo). [47:13]

Andre – Can we see the Excel table again, I’d love to try that [50:06]

Farhan – Yes. What if you try to remove delete indexed pages with google link removal tool and no luck? [51:48]

Drew Roberts – What foundational advice do you have for a business launching a new website? [53:17]

Omar Ortiz – Did you always know you wanted to be a speaker or how did you fall into it? Related: With so many smart/advanced SEOs out there, any feeling of nervousness in your first presentations thinking you’re being judged? [55:09]